EP1883019A1 - Methode zur anonymen Kommunikation zwischen Endnutzern über ein Netzwerk - Google Patents

Methode zur anonymen Kommunikation zwischen Endnutzern über ein Netzwerk Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1883019A1
EP1883019A1 EP06015552A EP06015552A EP1883019A1 EP 1883019 A1 EP1883019 A1 EP 1883019A1 EP 06015552 A EP06015552 A EP 06015552A EP 06015552 A EP06015552 A EP 06015552A EP 1883019 A1 EP1883019 A1 EP 1883019A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
user
internet
communication
communication party
bot
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06015552A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Albert Willem Alberts
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Koninklijke KPN NV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke KPN NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Koninklijke KPN NV filed Critical Koninklijke KPN NV
Priority to EP06015552A priority Critical patent/EP1883019A1/de
Priority to US11/880,654 priority patent/US20080025328A1/en
Publication of EP1883019A1 publication Critical patent/EP1883019A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/2866—Architectures; Arrangements
    • H04L67/30—Profiles
    • H04L67/306—User profiles
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/04—Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/04—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
    • H04L63/0407—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • H04L69/30—Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
    • H04L69/32—Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
    • H04L69/322—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
    • H04L69/329—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an Internet bot that is used for communication purposes between end-users of a network.
  • Internet bots are commonly used on the Internet.
  • An Internet bot is parlance on the Internet for a software program that is a software agent.
  • the latter is an abstraction that describes software that acts on behalf of a user or other program.
  • An Internet bot interacts with other network services intended for people as if it were a person.
  • One typical use of Internet bots is to gather information.
  • the term Internet bot is derived from the word "robot,” reflecting the autonomous character of the Internet bot.
  • Internet bots There are different types of Internet bots, such as Internet bots that can install themselves on people's computers for several purposes, and that can be used as remote attack tools. Other types of Internet bots are so-called web crawlers or spiders that are able to recursively gather web-page information, such as the Internet bot used by Google (“GoogleBot”), Internet bots may also be used to interact dynamically with a site in a particular way, as by exploiting or locating arbitrage opportunities for financial gain.
  • GoogleBot GoogleBot
  • Some Internet bots communicate with other users of internet-based services, via instant messenger (IM), for example, or via Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or another web interface. These so-called chatterbots may allow people to ask questions in plain English and then formulate a proper response. These bots can often handle many tasks, including reporting weather, zip-code information, sports scores, converting currency or other units, etc.
  • IM instant messenger
  • IRC Internet Relay Chat
  • bots may be to lurk in the background of a conversation channel, commenting on certain phrases uttered by the participants (based on pattern matching). This is sometimes used as a help service for new users, or even for mild censorship.
  • MSNbot An Internet bot that is used in the Messenger (MSN) environment of Microsoft is the so-called MSNbot.
  • MSNbot can be used as a web-crawling robot (type of internet bot), applied by Microsoft to supply MSN Search. It collects documents from the web to build a searchable index for the MSN Search engine.
  • the MSNbot is able to perform the same function as Google's Googlebot, and Yahoo!'s slurp.
  • MSNbot Another way to use the MSNbot is to let an Internet user communicate with MSNbot. This offers the Internet user, for instance, the possibility to ask questions to the MSNbot on different topics such as science or recreational topics.
  • a question can be sent to the MSNbot using messenger client software.
  • the Internet user selects the MSNbot from an MSN contact list or a so-called buddy list. Answers from the MSNbot can also be received using the messenger client software. It is also possible that the MSNbot asks questions to the Internet user, for instance to verify or detail a question asked by the Internet user earlier.
  • a drawback of the MSNbot and similar bots is that the communication between the Internet user and the Internet bot is limited to a one-on-one communication between an Internet user and the Internet bot.
  • the one-on-one character of the communication between an Internet user and an Internet bot is a limiting factor in situations where several Internet users intend to communicate to each other.
  • a method for transferring information between a first communication party and a second communication party via an IP based network comprising the steps of:
  • the selection of a communication party is performed by an Internet bot that is able to access a profile list comprising one or more characteristics.
  • the identity of at least one communication party is not known to the other communication party because information is first transferred to the Internet bot and then from the Internet bot to the other communication party.
  • a first end-user can initiate via an Internet bot a set up of a communications relation to a selected second end-user of an IP based network.
  • the IP based network may be the Internet or any non-public network that is based on IP technology, such as an intranet.
  • Both end-users may use end-user equipment that may comprise computer equipment such as a personal computer or a mobile telephone that is suitable to access the mobile Internet, for instance using technologies such as i-Mode or UMTS.
  • the end-user equipment may also comprise network access equipment such as an ADSL modem to connect the computer equipment of the end-user to the IP based network.
  • application software resides on the computer equipment of the end-user, such as a browser application and communication software (e.g. Windows Live Messenger).
  • communication software e.g. Windows Live Messenger
  • the communication software resided on a remote server and that this communication software is activated via the browser on the computer equipment of the end-user.
  • the selection of the second user is accomplished using a profile list that is accessible for the Internet bot.
  • the profile list comprises one or more characteristics which may be related to the first end-user and/or the second end-user that is to be selected. For instance, a characteristic may identify in general terms who the first end-user is, e.g. the age of the first-end user or geographic information about the residence of the first end-user. It is also possible that a characteristic is a criteria with regard to the second end-user that is to be found by the Internet bot. Based on the characteristics comprised by the profile list the Internet bot (4) is able to start finding a second end-user that is on-line and that meets the characteristics comprised by the profile list. If the latter is the case, the Internet bot may accomplish a communications relation between the first end-user and the second end-user. During the set up of the communications relation both the first end-user and the second end-user are anonymous to each other.
  • At least one of the first end-user and the second end-user is anonymous during the transfer of information between both end-users. This is accomplished by transferring information from one end-user first to the Internet bot, after which the Internet bot transfers the information to the other end-user instead of directly transferring information directly between both end-users. Because only the Internet bot and not the end-user is aware of the identity of the other end-user, both end-users stay anonymous during the transfer of information. However, if one of the end-users desires, it may include information in the information that is transferred to the other end-user that reveals its identity to the other end-user. This may for instance be the case when for some reason it is not necessary anymore to stay anonymous.
  • the present invention may also enable applications set up a communication relation and to communicate to each other while being anonymous to each other. Instead of an end-user it is then an application that uses an Internet bot to find another application to which it can communicate. The same principle may also be applied with regard to the communication between an end-user and an application.
  • An advantage of this is that each end-user may stop the communication at any time without having revealed their identity. This is for instance useful in relation to dating applications. It occurs that people not only want to be anonymous on the Internet before they have actually made contact with someone else but also during the communication phase that takes place after that.
  • end-users are able to find on-line another end-user that matches a number of criteria and communicate to that end-user without revealing their identity.
  • An advantage is also that no administrative agent is required that would require a more or less complex administrative registration procedure.
  • FIG.1 shows a first end-user equipment (1) of a first end-user (not depicted in the figure) that can be used by this first end-user to access an IP (Internet Protocol) based network (2).
  • the IP based network (2) may for instance be the Internet or any non-public network that is based on IP technology, such as an intranet.
  • the first end-user equipment (1) may comprise computer equipment such as a personal computer or a mobile telephone that is suitable to access the mobile Internet, for instance using technologies such as i-Mode or UMTS.
  • the first end-user equipment (1) may also comprise network access equipment such as an ADSL modem to connect the computer equipment of the first end-user to the IP based network (2).
  • application software resides on the computer equipment of the first end-user (1), such as a browser application and communication software. Examples of the latter are an e-mail application and software for enabling communication between Internet users such as messenger software (e.g. Windows Live Messenger).
  • a second end-user (not depicted in the figure) is also able to connect to the IP based network (2), i.e. by means of a second user equipment (2). It is not required that the second end-user equipment (2) comprises the same hardware and software components as the first end-user equipment (1). However, for certain applications it may be required that the same or compatible software application software is used on both end-user equipments, for instance the same messenger software should be available to both end-users in order to communicate with each other.
  • the first end-user is able to select an Internet bot (4), for instance by selecting the Internet bot (4) from a contact list.
  • the latter may also be called a buddy list.
  • Contact- or buddy lists are used in a messenger environment, enabling end-users to select other end-users or applications they want to communicate with. Selecting or invoking an Internet bot (4) by the first end-user may result in letting the Internet bot (4) notify the first end-user that the Internet bot (4) is ready to assist the first end-user in his communications needs.
  • the Internet bot (4) may send a message to the first end-user such as "Good morning end-user x, how can I help you?".
  • the first end-user may then send a message to the Internet bot (4) in which a request is formulated. This is depicted in FIG 2., where it is the first end-user that initiates a communication relation with the second user.
  • a profile list (5) accessible that comprises one or more characteristics. These characteristics may relate to the first end-user or to the second end-user. For instance, a characteristic may identify in general terms who the first end-user is (e.g. the age of the first-end user or geographic information about the residence of the first end-user). It is also possible that a characteristic is a criteria with regard to the second end-user that is to be found by the Internet bot (4). Based on the characteristics comprised by the profile list (5) the Internet bot (4) is able to start finding a second end-user that is on-line and that meets the characteristics comprised by the profile list (5).
  • the Internet bot (4) may send a message to the second end-user to ask if the second end-user agrees to communicate with the first end-user. For this, the Internet bot (4) may use in this message one or more characteristics comprised by the profile list (5) that relate to the first end-user. In this way the second end-user can decide if he or she is willing to communicate to the first end-user. If this is the case, the Internet bot (4) will accomplish a communications relation between the first end-user and the second end-user.
  • both the first end-user and the second end-user are anonymous to each other during the set up of the communication and during the course of the communication between both end-users.
  • the latter is accomplished by transferring information during the communications phase from one end-user first to the Internet bot (4) instead of directly transfer the information to the other end-user. Because only the Internet bot (4) and not the end-user is aware of the identity of the other end-user, both end-users stay anonymous during the information transfer phase.
  • each end-user may stop the communication at any time without having revealed their identity. This is for instance useful for dating applications. It occurs that people not only want to be anonymous on the Internet before they have actually made contact with someone else but also during the communication phase that takes place after that. During the communication phase both persons try to find out if there really is a match with the other person. If it turns out that this is not the case, although a number of characteristics matched in first instance, a person would like to stop the communication and desires not to be approachable anymore at a later moment. The latter could e.g. prevent Internet stalking.
  • end-users are able to find on-line another end-user that matches a number of criteria and communicate to that end-user without revealing their identity.
  • An advantage is that no administrative agent is required that would require a more or less complex administrative registration procedure.
  • the Internet bot (4) initiates a communication relation between the first end-user and the second end-user, which is depicted in FIG. 3.
  • a trigger for the Internet bot (4) may be a change in the status of one of the end-users, for instance if the status changes from off-line into on-line.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Computing Systems (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
EP06015552A 2006-07-26 2006-07-26 Methode zur anonymen Kommunikation zwischen Endnutzern über ein Netzwerk Withdrawn EP1883019A1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06015552A EP1883019A1 (de) 2006-07-26 2006-07-26 Methode zur anonymen Kommunikation zwischen Endnutzern über ein Netzwerk
US11/880,654 US20080025328A1 (en) 2006-07-26 2007-07-23 Method for anonymous communication between end-users over a network

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06015552A EP1883019A1 (de) 2006-07-26 2006-07-26 Methode zur anonymen Kommunikation zwischen Endnutzern über ein Netzwerk

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Cited By (6)

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WO2009143106A1 (en) * 2008-05-20 2009-11-26 Raytheon Company System and method for dynamic contact lists
US7970814B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2011-06-28 Raytheon Company Method and apparatus for providing a synchronous interface for an asynchronous service
US8112487B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2012-02-07 Raytheon Company System and method for message filtering
US8200751B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2012-06-12 Raytheon Company System and method for maintaining stateful information
US8655954B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2014-02-18 Raytheon Company System and method for collaborative messaging and data distribution
US9553878B2 (en) 2010-08-16 2017-01-24 Facebook, Inc. People directory with social privacy and contact association features

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US8775529B2 (en) * 2009-05-08 2014-07-08 Raytheon Company Bridging communications between communication services using different protocols
US9058381B2 (en) 2010-04-20 2015-06-16 Verisign, Inc. Method of and apparatus for identifying machine-generated textual identifiers
US9053320B2 (en) 2010-04-20 2015-06-09 Verisign, Inc Method of and apparatus for identifying requestors of machine-generated requests to resolve a textual identifier
US9794141B2 (en) * 2013-03-14 2017-10-17 Arista Networks, Inc. System and method for determining a cause of network congestion
US10341267B2 (en) 2016-06-20 2019-07-02 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Anonymized identifiers for secure communication systems
CN115883500A (zh) * 2019-08-21 2023-03-31 可可株式会社 将社交网络服务相关活动信息提供至聊天室的方法及服务器

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WO2001065334A2 (en) * 2000-02-29 2001-09-07 Baker Benjamin D Intelligence driven paging process for a chat room
US20050273503A1 (en) * 2004-06-08 2005-12-08 International Business Machines Corporation Real-time blog interaction

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009143106A1 (en) * 2008-05-20 2009-11-26 Raytheon Company System and method for dynamic contact lists
US7970814B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2011-06-28 Raytheon Company Method and apparatus for providing a synchronous interface for an asynchronous service
US8112487B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2012-02-07 Raytheon Company System and method for message filtering
US8200751B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2012-06-12 Raytheon Company System and method for maintaining stateful information
US8655954B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2014-02-18 Raytheon Company System and method for collaborative messaging and data distribution
US9553878B2 (en) 2010-08-16 2017-01-24 Facebook, Inc. People directory with social privacy and contact association features

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